When a patient is fitted for artificial dentures, it is necessary to make a record of his bite which correlates the relative positions of the maxilla (upper arch) and mandible (lower arch). This record is then used by a technician to articulate stone models of the teeth in proper vertical and horizontal relation to make bite blocks and wax rims with accuracy. If desired, the anterior teeth can be set from this bite record using center line and lip markings.
According to conventional dental procedure, a record of the bite is made by placing in the patient's mouth a quantity of impressionable material such as wax or silicone putty. The patient then closes his jaw to the proper vertical position as desired by the dentist and the material is allowed to set before it is removed. Enough material should be inserted to get a full impression of the lower ridge crest and the upper vault. The mouth is thus relatively full and the material interferes with the natural position of the tongue, making it difficult to be sure that the upper vault and lower ridge crest are properly correlated (oriented). The procedure may be further complicated by the patient's fear, either real or imagined, that the material might slide down into this throat, causing him to choke.
It is a principal objective of the present invention to improve upon the conventional procedure for taking a bite impression and to provide a new device for use in this procedure.